Stenographic machine



(ModeL) M. M.- BARTHOLOMEW.

STENOGRAPHIG MAUI-ZINE.

Patented Apr. 4,1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILES M. BARTHOLOMEVV, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

STENOGRAPHIC MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 255,910, dated April 4, 1882, Application filed March 8, 1881. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MiLEs M. BARTHOLO- MEW, of -Belleville, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stenographic Machines,of which the following, is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This is in some respects an improvement on the machine described in Patent No. 215,554, granted to me. The writing-keys in this machine are not made in pairs, like those described in my former patent, but are, with the exception ofthe thumb-key, made of bars bent in the middle, with a finger piece or button at each extremity. The inner ends of the finger-keys are curved, so as to be concentric with each other, extendingaround thepointof the thumbkey, which consists of a single bar with an extended thumb-piece. In this machine,in place of detached needles, fixed points on the keys are used, which, instead of perforating the paper, press against it and an inked ribbon, so as to mark the paper by that means. The finger-piece of the spacing-key extends along above the writing-keys within easy reach of the fingers, and the bars forming part of this key are attached directly to the feed-plate. The arrangement is such as to cause the paper ribbon to be moved double the distance where the spacing-key isdepressed that it is moved by the depression of the writing or marking keys.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view enlarged. Fig. 3 is a rear detail perspective, showing the reversing feed mechanism of the inked ribbon; and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective details in this connection. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective detail of the friction-guide for the ribbon. Fig. 7 is a detail side view of the adjustable spring drawing down the feed-plate.

A is the bed-plate, having standards B, giving pivotal bearing to the finger-keys O, and standards B, giving like bearing to the thumbkey 0. The standards B also give bearing to the lever-arms D, supporting the feed-plate E. The finger pieces or buttons F and F are at the outer ends of the keys 0 G and bars D, respectively. The outer ends of the writingkeys are lifted by springs G, connected at the lower ends to the base and the upper end to the keys 0 0, inside the points of hearing at B B.

The keys for the fingers are made with the finger-pieces O C at each extremity for the purpose stated in my patent aforesaid and hereinafter explained, and each key having a short curved part, 0, extending upward from which is the marker H, which, as the key is,

depressed at the outer end, is lifted against the under side of the inked ribbon I and forces the part overlying the marker against the paper ribbon J, which runs beneath the impression-roller K. The thumb-key G is a straight bar with a broad finger-plate, F, at the outer end and a marker, H, at the inner end. The curves 0 of the finger-keys G extend around the inner point of the thumb-key. Theinner ends of the keys are limited in their descent by an adjustable pad, L, consisting of some soft material upon a plate which is movabl y connected to the base by a tongue, L, and sustained at the proper elevation by adjusting-screws L which screw in the plate, and whose points rest upon the base.

The feed-plate E is attached to the rods D and overlies the writing-keys near the inner end, so that it is lifted by any of the writingkeys as the inner ends are raised.

To the inner end of the feed-plate is pivoted a pawl, M, which acts upon a ratchetwheel, K, upon the impression-roller K to turn the said roller at each movement of a key. The pawl is kept in contact with the ratchet-wheel K by means of a spring, M. There is a pad, 6, on the under side of the feed-plate, to receive the impact of the keys. At each stroke of any one or more of the writing-keys the feed-plate is raised such a distance as to move the pawl one tooth upon the ratchet-wheel, so that as the marker descends and the feed-plate with it the roller K is turned forward the distance of one letter, carrying the paper ribbon with it. The feed-plate works on the bearings of the rods D at B. Said plate is drawn down by an adjustable spring, 0, whose lower end is attached to the base and its upper end to a screw-rod passing through the plate E and having a thumb-nut screwing upon it and resting upon the top of the feed-plate.

The ascent of the feed-plate is limited by a screw-pad, P, beneath the finger-piece F upon the rods D. The movement of the feed-plate, when the finger-plate F is forced down upon the pad P, causes the pawl M to be lifted the distance of two teeth of the ratchet-wheel, so that the paper ribbon moves twice the distance when the finger-plate (or spacing-key F) is depressed that it does when the fingerpiecesF are depressed. This is to allow of spacing between words, the depressing of the spacing-key F causing no mark upon the paper ribbon, and serving simply to move the same. In the use of the instrument the spacing-key F should be depressed when making the last letter of each word, thus making the spaces between the words with the same stroke with which the last letter of each word is produced. This feature is of much practical importance, because it saves one movement of the hand for each word.

The paper ribbon 1 is coiled on an ordinary block turning on a pin, 1, in a standard, 1 The paper ribbon lies between a friction guideplate, Q, and the impression-roller, the plate Q being recessed to carry up the ink-ribbon. The plate Q is supported on a hinge at Q,'and has a lug, Q through which passes a screw-rod having upon its upper end a thumb-nut, R, and being connected at the lower end to a spring, S, whose lower end is attached to the base. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the adjustment of the pressure of the plate Q upon the under side of the paper ribbon. Q is a guide-loop through which the paper ribbon passes. The ink-ribbon is coiled upon two reels at T T, which turn on movable spindles 11, attached to the ends of a sliding plate, U.

Upon the reels are friction or cog wheels V, which are engaged by a friction-surface or cogpinion at K upon the shaft of the impressionroller K. Either of the wheels V may be brought into engagement with K by the sliding of the plate U, which acts to carry the other wheel out of connection. The wheel V,

which is in connection with K being turned thereby gradually winds up the ink-ribbon upon that reel, uncoilin g it from the other, and so the ribbon may be coiled first upon one of the reels and then upon the other one by a simple movement of the plate U.

The plate U is supported on guide-blocks U, which work in guide-slots a ot the frame or arch A. The plate U is held in whichever position it may be placed by the inturned catches to at the ends of a spring, W, said catches being shown as hearing against inclined faces of notches u in the plate U.

I claim herein as new and of my invention- 1. The combination, with a plurality of keys pivoted on a fixed fulcrum, and afeed-plate so arranged as to be actuated by the depression of any key, of spacing-key D D F and pad 1?,

vertically adjustable to govern the amplitude of play of the spacing-key, for the purpose set,

forth.

2. In combination with keys 0, pivoted on a fixed fulcrum,feed-plateE, in proximity to said keys, adapted to be actuated directly by the depression of any of them, and paper-feeding device, substantially as described, the feedkey D D F, so arranged as to move the feedplate E farther, and so give a greater feed movement to the paper at each motion than the marking-keys, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The keys 0, composed of a bent bar with a finger-piece, F, for each hand, at each extremity of same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The ink-ribbon-feeding mechanism consisting of the reels T T, turning on adjustable arbors a on sliding plate U, and wheels V V and arbor K substantially as set forth.

MILES M. BARTHOLOMEW.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. MOONEY, Gno. H. KNIGHT. 

